SC WIL engages a wide range of stakeholders and cultivates partnerships to break down barriers for women in leadership. Through our efforts to recruit women and programs like online and in-person training for elected and appointed office and substantive resources, SC WIL not only identifies women to serve in civic leadership and prepares them for office, but also highlights the positive impact of diverse leadership. Improving gender and racial equality in leadership is crucial to our future. While we have different political beliefs and live in an era of unprecedented polarization, women have demonstrated the ability to identify common goals, collaborate, and work together on key issues to improve communities. Research has found that greater equality in political representation leads to increased economic participation from women, which boosts economic health overall. In addition, more participation from women in office plays a role in counteracting corruption and focusing resources on issues such as healthcare and education, which affect all residents of SC. Women running for office increases interest in politics among ado